Albie Morkel and Mark Boucher trumped a virtuoso performance by David Hussey as South Africa scrambled a four-wicket win over Australia in the first Twenty20 international at the Wanderers Stadium on Friday.

Hussey cracked an unbeaten 88 off only 44 balls and took two for 21 with his off-spinners to earn the man of the match award. But it was not enough to secure a win for his team in the opening encounter of a two-match series.

Hussey, younger brother of Test batsman Mike, dominated an Australian innings of 166 for seven and it looked as though it would be enough when South Africa slumped to 83 for five in the 13th over.

But Morkel and Boucher added 58 off 33 balls to swing the momentum in South Africa's favour.

The big-hitting Morkel slammed 36 off 22 balls before he mishit Mitchell Johnson high to mid-off where David Hussey held a good catch.

South Africa still needed 26 off 17 balls but Boucher saw them home, finishing with 36 not out off 22 balls. Seven were needed off the final over, bowled by Brett Geeves, and Boucher hit the first two balls to the midwicket boundary to clinch victory with four balls to spare.

"In this game you never really know," said Australian captain Ricky Ponting. "There was some very good hitting by the South Africans at the end. David Hussey was magnificent but we came up a bit short with the ball."

While Hussey enabled Australia to post a reasonably competitive total, his teammates assisted him in only two partnerships of any significance.

Hussey and opener David Warner (38) put on 54 for the third wicket and Hussey added 45 with Cameron White (16) for the sixth wicket.

Australia suffered a severe jolt when three wickets fell for one run in the tenth over.

Warner fell to a sharp return catch by left-arm spinner Robin Peterson and Mike Hussey was run out by a direct hit from South African captain Johan Botha after turning the first ball he faced behind square leg.

After David Hussey scored a single, Brad Haddin was caught at long-off for a duck. Peterson finished with three for 30.

Hussey timed the ball superbly in hitting five fours and six sixes.

Herschelle Gibbs got South Africa off to a fast start, hitting 19 off 12 balls, but drove Geeves' first ball in a Twenty20 international to Ponting at cover.

Wickets fell steadily and the scoring rate slowed until Morkel and Boucher came together.

A key over was the 17th of the innings, in which James Hopes conceded 21 runs, with the left-handed Morkel hitting the first three balls for 4, 6, 4.

The South African pacers, Morne Morkel and Makhaya Ntini may be included in the playing eleven for the final ODI against Australia on Friday.
The duo walk into team at the expense of fast bowler Wayne Parnell and the off-spinner Johan Botha.

Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers shared a century partnership to set up a comfortable 25-run win for South Africa in the third one-day international against Australia at Newlands on Thursday.
Kallis (70) and De Villiers (80) laid the foundation for a South African total of 289 for six, putting on 114 off 131 balls for the third wicket.

Barely a year after captaining the South African Under-19 team, left-arm swing bowler Wayne Parnell played a match-winning role as South Africa defeated Australia by seven wickets in the second one-day international at Centurion Park on Sunday.
The 19-year-old and fast bowler Dale Steyn blew away the Australian top order batting, reducing the tourists to 19 for five after they won the toss and made first use of what captain Ricky Ponting admitted was a good batting pitch.

Opening bowlers Dale Steyn and Wayne Parnell produced devastating performances as South Africa bounced back with a convincing seven-wicket victory in the second one-day international against Australia at Centurion Park here on Sunday.
Australia were bowled out for 131 after their top order batsmen were blown away by Steyn and the teenaged Parnell.

Captain Ricky Ponting hailed the return to form of Mike Hussey as Australia gained a crushing 141-run win over South Africa in the first one-day international at Kingsmead Friday.
Hussey hit 83 not out as Australia piled up 286 for seven.